Socket for tube lamps



May 19, 1942. A. os'rERLoo SOCKET FOR TUBE LAMPS Filed Aug.v :51, 94o

INVENTOR Arf/iur Os hef/o0 ATTRNEY Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE 2,283,454- a SOCKET FOR TUBE LAMPS Arthur Osterloo, Kansas City, Mo. a

Application August 31, 1940, Serial No. 355,053

Claims.

adjust themselves to the prongs of the lamp; and

to provide a socket that eiects positive electrical contact with the lamp prongs.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I' have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Fig. l is a longitudinal section through a tube lamp lighting fixture equipped with sockets constructed in accordance with the presentl inven- ,tion and showing the method of: inserting the Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through one of the sockets on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the lamp fixture showing one of the sockets in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof the socket terminal `carrying block.

I4 are provided with anges I6 and I1 bent inwardly thereof a suicient distance so that the edges I8 and I9 form the sides of a front opening 20. The bottom l5 is provided with a substantially rectangular shaped notch 2|, opening from the front 'edge 22. The upper ends of the flanges I6 and I1 are provided with ears 23and 24 forming stops as later described. The upper ends of the side. walls are preferably bent laterally to provide attaching ears 25 and 26 which are adapted to engage against the reflector and to be retained thereagainst by prongs 21 and 28 struck from the reflector material, however, the attaching ears may be extended laterally and provided with openings for any suitable type of fastening device. The back' I2 preferably extends above the sides and is provided with a central notch 29. The upper end of the casing cludes a front portion 34 projecting from the Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the parts of a disassembled socket and the end of a tube lamp.

Fig, 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the terminal screws.

Referring more'in detail to the drawing:

I designates a light fixture for tube lamps and may include a1 substantially trough-like reflector 2 enclosed in an outer shel1'3. Mounted in the respective ends of the reflector are sockets 4 and 5 embodying the features ofthe present invention. AThe sockets 4 and 5 support a conventional type tube lamp 6, having prongs I and 8l atlthe respectiveends thereof cooperating with contact elements of the sockets in supporting the lamp and forming a connection with a source of electrical current supply. Each socket unitincludes acasing 9 and a contact'carrying block IIJ, floatingly mounted on a resilient element II.

The casing 9 is preferably formed of metal and includesa back I2, sides I3-I4 and a bottom I5.rv The sides`I3 and I4, including the bottom |5',are preferably formed by bending a-blank sheet laterally from the portion thereof forming the back I2. The front edges ofthe sides I3 and 55 includes a screw-like member having a threaded is.open to permit insertion of the inner parts of the socket including the members IU and II, above referred to.

The member Ill preferably includes a block formed of insulating material, such as hard rubber, or one of the synthetic plastics, which may be suitable for the purpose. The block includes a base portion 30 having parallel side faces 3| and 32 slidably engaging the inner faces of the s ides I3 and I4 of the casing and having a substantially at back face 33. The block also inbase' portion and having side faces 35 and 36 inset from the side faces 3| and 32 a distance substantially corresponding to the width of the flanges I6 and I1 of the-casing so that the por- 35 tion 34 is adapted to project freely through the opening 20. The front portion 34 has an upper end 31 inset downwardly from the upper end 38 of the base portion to form a'. stop adapted to be engagedby the ears 23 and 24 to prevent upward 40 dislodgment of the member I0 through the open top of the casing. .Extending from the longitudinal median point of the block is a finger,39, having a rounded portion f4I) adapted to be engaged by th thumb for pressing'the lower portion of the block inwardly of the casing while the upper portion rocks relatively to the ears 23 and 24, as later described.

Formed in the projecting portion of the block, on the respective sides of the finger 39, are slots 4I and 42 having bottoms 43 sloping from the base portion to the front face of the projecting portion and in registry with socket terminals' or contact elements 44 and 45. One of the contact elements 44-45 is best illustrated in Fig. 6, and

` Patent is:

- longth so that the end faces 54 thereof register with the front face 34 of the block and are in a position to engage the prongs of the lamp. Formedwithin the shank of each screw is a tapering bore or socket 55 for receiving the prongs I or 3 so that an electrical contact is made thereby with thelamp.` The rar face' of the block isbacked by a sheet of insulating ma-y terial 56 which bears against the resilient bed Ii.

In the illustrated instance, the bed Il includes a substantially rectangular body of sponge rubber having a size to closely engage within the casing and of a thickness to provide the necessary pressure in projecting the front portion of the block through .the opening so that the terminals are in position for engaging the prongs of the lamp. y

In assembling the parts, the resilient element I I is inserted through the open topof the casing, followed by the plate 56. The plate is then moved toward the rear wall of the casing tocompress the resilient bed so that the base portion of the block ill'may be slidv into the open Itop of the casing. When the lower end of the block has completely "entered the casing it will be stopped by the bottom l5 and the finger 39 will project through the notch `2i. Upon release of the compressing'acti'on, the resilient bed willexpand to retain the block in'yielding engagement with the flanges I5 and I1 and the ears 23 and 2'4 will engage over the upper end of -the projecting portion 34 to prevent retractivemovement of the block. Y

`The sockets assembled as described may be installed in the manner shown in Fig. 3, orvthe attaching ears and 26'may be bent laterally and secured by any suitable fastening' devices, such as screws, rivets, or the like.

In applying the lamp, the prongs at one en 1. A device of the character described including, a casing having a back, sides, and a bottom forming an open front, a body of resilientmaterial in the casing engaging said back, a contact carrying member in the open front of .the casing and pressed by the resilient material inI the directlon of said open front, and contact elements carried by said contact carrying member, `said contact carrying member having grooves sloping from an edge thereof 'in the direction of the contact elements for guiding the prongs of a tube lamp into engagement with the contacting elements.

2. A device of the character described 'includy ing, a casing having a back, sides, and a bottomV forming an open front, a body of resilient material inthe casingengaging said back, a contact carrying member inthe open front of the casing and pressingiy retaining the resilient material against said back of the casing, means on the casingfor limiting outward movement of the contact carrying member, contact elements carried by said contact carrying member, saidcon- -tact carrying member having grooves sloping.

Stil

are inserted in the tapering portion of the socketterminals at one end of the fixture. Pressure is then applied by the thumb against the Vfinger 39 of the other socket so that the lamp may be swung upwardly with the prongs passingthrough the slots 4I and 42 to lbe in position for entering the tapering bores upon release of pressure on the finger 39. When lthe pressure is relieved, the

. resilient beds Il apply sumcient pressure on the blocks so that a positive contact is made between the contact terminals and prong. When it is desired to remove the lamp, pressure is applied to one `or the other of the fingers 39 so that the contact elements of the selected socket will disengage from the prongs, after which that end of the lamp may be moved downwardly and outwardly and the prongs at the other end withdrawn from the socket at that end of the lamp.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a socket tube lamp that is of simple y construction and readily assembled. It is also obvious that the lamp is easily applied in the sockets and readily removed therefrom without `danger"of breaking the parts of the socket or any part of the tube-like lamp.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters from an edge thereof in the direction of the conv tact elements for guiding the prongs of a tube lamp into engagement with the contacting .ele-

ments, anda thumb piece projecting from the contact carrying member at a point intermediate said grooves to facilitate movement of the con- A tact carrying member into said casing.

`3. A device of the character described including, a casing having a back, sides, a bottom, 'and anges extending inwardly Ifrom said sides, a body of resilient material in the casing, a blocklike'` member'in ythe casing andhaving side edges engaging said flanges, contact elements carried by said block, and means shifting the block in. the casing against said resilient body to fulcrum a portion of the block upon said flanges.

4. A device-of thejcharacter described including, a casing having a back, sides, a notched bottom, and flanges extending inwardly from saidsides, a body of resilient material in the casing, a block-like member'in the casing and having side edges engaging said fianges, contact ele'- ments carried by said block, and means extending through the notch of said bottom forj ,shifting the block in the casing against said resilient body to fulcrum a portion of .the block fupon said flanges.

5. A device of the character described including, a casing having a back', sides, anges on said sides, and a bottom forming an openfront, a

. body of resilient material inthe casing engaging said/back, a contact carrying member in the open front of the casing and pressed against said flanges by the resilient body, and contact e1e` ments including screw-like members having threaded shanks engaged in counterbored openings in said member and having heads engaged in said counterbore of said openings for attach- 'ing conductors, said shanks having tapering bores to receive the prongs of a lamp.

6. A device of the character described including, a casing having a back, sides, a bottom, and flanges on said sides and havinginwardly exltending stops, a body of resilient material in the =casing, a block-like member in the casing having side edges engaging said flanges and having a portion engaged under said stops, contact ele.- ments carried by said block, and means for fulcruming the block-like member on said stops and `againstlsaid resilient body, f Y

7. A device of the character described including, a casing having a back, sides, and a bottom forming an open front, abody of resilient material in the casing engaging said back, a contact carrying member in the open front of the casing and urged by the resilient material in projecting relation with said open front, contact elements carried by said contact carrying member, said contact carrying member having grooves on the front thereof sloping from an edge thereof in the direction of the contact elements for guiding the prongs of a tube lamp into engagement with the contacting elements and having grooves on the rear thereof to receive 'conductors connected with said contacts, and an insulating member between said contact 'carrying member and the resilient material.

8. A device of the character described including, a casing having a front opening, an insulator in the casing, a resilient pad in the casing supporting the insulator over the front opening` of the casing and yieldable responsive to pressure applied to the insulator through said opening, contact elements carried by said insu1ator and having Asocket portions exposed through said front opening of thevcasing to receive the prong terminals of a tube lamp, said insulator having fulcruming support on a part of the casing at`- one side of the front opening, and a lug on the insulator projecting through an opening at the opposite side of the casing whereby said insulator is adapted to be engaged and caused to fulcrum on said part of the casing and to move retractively against the yielding pressure of said padl when pressure is applied on said lug.

` 9. A device -of the character described including, a casing having a front opening, an insulator in the casing, a resilient pad in the casing supporting the insulator over the front opening of the casing and yieldable responsive to pressure applied to the insulator through said opening, contact elements carried by said insulator and having socket portions exposed through said front opening of the casing to receive the prong terminals of a tube lamp, conductors extending into the casing and having connection with said contact elements, and an insulating member between the insulator and said resilient pad.

l0. A socket ior the contact prongs of a tube lamp including, a casing, a resilient pad in the casing, a contact carrying member in the casing and backed by the resilient pad, contact elements in the carrying member having sockets adapted to receive the prongs of a tube lamp, and means for manually moving said member against said resilient pad to disengage the prongs of a tube lamp, said carrying member having guide grooves spaced according to`the spacing,

of said prongs ,to guide the prongs into and out of said sockets.

ARTHUR OSTERLOO. 

